Daniel says, his spirit was either cut off or vanished, as if he suffered some mental deficiency. In this way God wished to
communicate to his servant the magnitude of the vision. And he inspires us also with reverence for this vision, lest we should
treat it coldly and commonly. But we ought to understand how God opens up to Daniel, his servant, and to us by his assistance
and ministry, these mysteries which meaning; be otherwise comprehended
by our human senses. For if Daniel, whom we know to have been a remarkable Prophet, felt his spirit to be so deficient
and nearly vanishing away, surely we who as yet know so little of God’s mysteries, nay, who have scarcely tasted their first
rudiments, never can attain so great a height, unless we overcome the world and shake off all human sensations. For these
things cannot be perceived by us unless our minds are clear and completely purified.

He says, therefore, in the first place, his spirit was cut off, or vanished, in the midst of his body; as if he had said he was almost lifeless and nearly dead. And he added, as reason,
the visions of his head had frightened him No one can faint away — an event which sometimes happens — with-out a cause. When that terror called a panic seizes upon
some persons, we observe how they become deprived of self-possession, and lie almost lifeless. But Daniel, to shew himself
separate from such persons, says he was
frightened or disturbed by visions of his head; as if he had said, he was not disturbed without occasion, but it was caused by the mystery of which the vision had been
offered to him. He came to one of those standing by. He had said
a short time before, ten thousand times ten thousand were at the right hand of the tribunal of God. Without the slightest
doubt, the Prophet asked one of these angels. And here we must notice his modesty and docility in flying to some instructor,
because he was conscious of his own ignorance and found no other remedy. At the same time, we are taught by the Prophet’s
example not to reject all visions, but to seek their interpretation from God himself. Although God in these days does not
address
us by visions, yet he wishes us to be content with his Law and Gospel, while angels do not appear to us, and do not openly
and conspicuously descend from heaven; but, since Scripture is obscure to us, through the darkness in which we are involved,
let us learn not to reject whatever surpasses our capacity, even when some dark veil envelops it, but let us fly to the remedy
which Daniel used, not to seek the understanding of God’s word from angels, who do not appear to us, but from Christ
himself, who in these days teaches us familiarly by means of pastors and ministers of the gospel. Now, as a supreme and
only Master has been given us from the Father, so also he exercises the office of teacher by his own ministers whom he set
over us. (Matthew 23:8, 10.) Therefore, as Daniel approached the angel who was near him, so we are daily commanded to
approach those who have been entrusted with the gift of interpretation and who can faithfully explain to us things otherwise
obscure. Our confidence, too, ought to be increased by what follows directly: The angel spoke, and opened the interpretation of the words. Daniel here shews his modesty and humility not to have been in vain, as God commanded the angel to explain all
obscurities. So, without doubt, Christ will at this time satisfy our prayers, if we are truly his disciples; that is,
if, after those mysteries which surpass and absorb all our senses have terrified us, we fly to that order which he has prescribed
for us, and seen from faithful ministers and teachers the interpretation of those things which are difficult and obscure,
and entirely concealed from us.